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U.S. President Barack Obama vowed a “relentless effort to take out ISIL wherever they exist” as he planned to expand the fight against the Islamic State militants into Syria.

Speaking from the White House on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the terrorist attack on September 11, Mr. Obama said, “I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.”

The plan will not include sending American troops back to Iraq but will provide air power to support “partner forces on the ground.”

Earlier in the day, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Baghdad. Mr. Kerry said he was on a mission “to assemble the broadest coalition” for the fight against the Islamic State group.

He added the coalition would help train, arm and equip Iraqi forces. Others would contribute humanitarian relief or cut off funding to the terrorist group.

Putin explains Russian need for strong defenses

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that his country must support what he called its “nuclear deterrence” because of growing security threats.

The Russian president blamed Western nations for using the crisis in Ukraine to build up the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He noted, among other things, U.S. missile defense systems in Europe and Alaska and the creation of NATO “rapid-response” forces in Eastern Europe.

Separately, the president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, announced that Russia has withdrawn more than two-thirds of its forces out of eastern Ukraine. NATO officials have estimated that at least 1,000 Russian troops had crossed over the border into Ukraine.

China, Vietnam trade accusations over fishing incident

Vietnam has accused Chinese sailors of detaining and beating several Vietnamese fishermen last month in disputed waters. The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry said the fishermen were stopped near the Paracel Islands in the East Sea, known in China as the South China Sea.

China rejected the claims. It said the fishermen illegally entered China’s waters. China has claimed almost all of the disputed waters in the area. The same waters are also claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.